Ten on Tuesday

1. Another sad week for radio in Los Angeles. KLSX dropped their talk radio format (home of Adam Carolla and the Heidi, Frosty & Frank shows) to change to a Top 40 format. Ugh--just what we need more Britney and Justin! Wallis is really bummed. I'm down to one radio station...KCRW (public radio). But there's only so much I can listen to on how terrible our economy is doing.

2. $300M NASA satellite had launch failure last night. It's just money, right?

3. Kelsea is still enamored with her baby sister. She runs right upstairs every morning to see her. Wallis brought Lorelei to school with Kelsea yesterday, and she kept telling all her friends and teachers, "this is my baby sister Lorelei, isn't she pretty?"

4. While snuggling in our bed this morning Kelsea mentioned "when I get bigger and taller and these start to grow (pointing to her breasts..which she calls buttons) I'm going to help feed my baby sister." Uh, okay hon.

5. Need to get Wallis and Kelsea doing the potty dance on video. (Huggies Pull-Ups commerical for all you non-parents out there.) Every time it comes on Kelsea must join in on the fun. Me, not so much.

6. Kelsea had her first ballet class last Thursday. Since I was at the doctors with Lorelei I didn't get to watch. Here's a few photos of Kelsea showing me what she learned in her first class.
Thanks Grandma for getting Kelsea this adorable outfit. 7. Lorelei had her first bath on Saturday. Big sister was a big help. Here's a few pics of one of Lorelei's first "firsts"

8. Another first.
9. This one also likes to be swaddled.
10. James Partrick Bolander entered the world yesterday. The Laughreys can't wait to meet you Jimmy! Congratulations Rick & Cathy!

One Week

Hard to believe you're a week old Miss Lorelei. You are a pretty content baby thus far. You eat every 3 hours, and thankfully you've been letting us go right back to sleep after each night feeding. When you are unhappy, you let out a high-pitch dolphin cry, which is not very often. Newborn clothes are still too big for you. You have long fingers and feet. You actually have a full head of black hair like your Daddy. We can't tell if it's going to be curly like your sisters yet. Your eyes are still that newborn blue/gray, but it looks like they are going to be blue.

More Birthday Photos

Thanks to this wonderful friend, here's a few more photos of Lorelei:

Our Birth Story

The contractions started coming on Valentine's Day while I was enjoying a nice foot massage at the nail salon. My first thought was how funny would it be if my water broke all over this lady's head as my toes are being painted. I think it would be contained to the foot bath, although I would hate to be the next person that soaked their feet into this tub... Luckily I left the nail salon water in tack with pretty pink toes and shiny, buffed finger nails. Which we all know is very important when you are going to bring a new life into this world.

Came home and started cleaning because that's also what Moms do when they know a new baby will be here soon. After the house was fully in order and our stuff all packed, I took a nice warm bath and noticed the contractions had stopped. I guess Lorelei wasn't quite ready for this world after all.

The next morning, I was starting to lose some water and the contractions started to come back. So the three of us headed off to run errands, Longs Drugs, Aaron Brothers, Ikea (twice), Anthropologie (twice), and Baskin Robbins. Since the contractions weren't coming close enough or strong enough I waited until late afternoon to call the doctor. At 5:45 in the evening I got a call telling me to come to labor and delivery. Uh, I don't think so. There's a yummy birthday dinner and a Baskin Robbins Mint Chocolate Chip cake that we're about to eat! Priorities right? So after celebrating my brother's birthday, we left Kelsea at my parents house and headed to the hospital.

After getting all checked in and situated in our room "15" the doctor decided to start Pitocin. So at 10:30 pm the drip started and my brother and Jennie went home since we were told I probably would not be having this baby until the next morning or afternoon. So at midnight I opted for an epidural in hopes for a good (okay decent) night of sleep. Well, an hour later I was 6 cm, and 30 minutes after that I was fully dilated. So much for sleep and so much for having Lorelei at a normal hour of the day. So we called Steve and Jennie, at about 1:30 in the morning and they came back to the hospital. We had to wait for the baby to drop a little further down and then we had to wait for the doctor (of course).

This picture was taken at 3:08, right before the doctor showed up and 13 minutes before Lorelei entered this world.
So after about 10 minutes of pushing Lorelei arrived at 3:21 am! Jennie actually got to cut the umbilical cord! Note: Wallis was given the chance to do the cutting, but declined...he's not so tough.
There were a lot of similarities between Kelsea and Lorelei's labor & delivery, but they were 180 degrees different once they were born. Right after she was born they put Lorelei on my chest and I got to hold and nurse her for almost an hour. With Kelsea, they took her away after 10 minutes and I did not get to see until 3 hours later. Lorelei did not appreciate being towel dried off
The new proud parentsShe weighed in at 6 lbs 12 ounces and 18.5 inches long. A half inch shorter than Kelsea but 6 ounces more. She acutally has a full head of black hair like her Daddy's.Yep this little girl is yours.Besides getting to hold and nurse Lorelei right after she was born, they also did all the testing and the bath in the room. She never left our side.
After a tiny bit of sleep that morning we had our first set of visitors. She was just a little bit excited to meet her new baby sister. (In case you can't tell from the photos)

After much pleading with Kelsea, Grandma and Grandpa finally got to hold their newest granddaughter.
And after they got a little sleep, Aunt Jennie and Uncle Steve came back to the hospital to hold Lorelei. Thanks to this lovely lady who took all the fantastic birth pictures of Lorelei. We are so thankful to have these photos!
And to this wonderful brother and uncle who got the whole thing on film!
And the next day, we were ready to bring Lorelei home. At 2:00pm on the 17th we headed home, a new family of four.

A New Tomorrow

Dear Kelsea,

It looks like tonight is going to be your last night as an only child. You are sleeping peacefully right now, probably dreaming about being a princess or a ballerina, and tomorrow when you wake up you will be a big sister! I know our lives will forever be different, as it was the day when you were born. It will be exciting at first, and then difficult when you realize that Mommy and Daddy's time is now split between you and your sister.

You have been talking about your baby sister for months now. You are certain she is your baby, and Mommy's belly is just carrying her for you. I am just as excited as you are for you to have a sister. Someone to play dress-up with, have tea parties, gossip about boys, school, and love. Someone to confide in, share your hopes, dreams and fears with. Someone to protect and care for. Someone who will probably know you better than anyone.

Although baby Lorelei will be the center of attention for a while, you will always be our baby, our little girl. Don't every forget that my love.

May tomorrow be the beginning of a beautiful bond between two sisters who will always love and cherish each other.

Goodnight sweetie. We love you very much and can't wait for what tomorrow will bring.

Mommy & Daddy

Sugar Junkie

She was too young on her first Valentine's Day for us to know Kelsea's true love,

but this picture should have clued us in on something.

By her second Valentine's Day it became apparent our child had a love for anything sweet, especially cupcakes!

And at 3 years old, she still loves herself a cupcake. And in case you weren't sure the proper way to eat a cupcake, let my daughter demonstrate.

First you start with the wrapper,

then you bite into it with your eyes closed,

and then again with your eyes wide open

And when your plate looks like this, don't forget

to give your Mom & Dad a smile of pure satisfaction!

Happy Valentine's Day! Hope yours was just as delicious!